Chongyun Mountain, the ancestral land of the Lin Clan.
Assembly Hall.
Lin Tunan, with his hair white and eyes somewhat cloudy, was handling affairs.
Before long.
A communication talisman brought news.
"Hmm?!"
Lin Tunan's pupils suddenly contracted to the extreme, and he hurriedly rode the escape light toward Linglong Immortal City.
Before long.
He arrived at the Treasure Pavilion.
Where Lin Tunan's divine thought reached, it was a purgatory scene!
The main building of the Chongyun Treasure Pavilion, operated for a hundred years.
Had already collapsed by more than half!
Thick smoke, carrying sparks, shot straight into the sky.
Dozens of huge cracks ran through the entire street, the air filled with the pungent smell of scorching and a thick scent of blood.
Sweeping through carefully with divine sense.
Lin Tunan barely recognized a few auras of those who had perished, including the juniors he had the highest hopes for.
All fallen!
"Ah—!!!"
Lin Tunan's eyes turned blood-red, his heart filled with immense pain.
He let out a scream filled with infinite fury.
Not far away.
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Lingxiao Sect stationed at Linglong had been waiting for some time.
A cold-faced female cultivator in late-stage Foundation Establishment took out a bill:
"Fellow Daoist Lin, this is the loss caused to our city by your noble clan's cultivator due to the artifact explosion."
"A total of 117,000 lower grade spirit stones."
Lin Tunan: "..."
...
On the other side.
Chen Sheng's consciousness had completely sunk into chaos.
With the price of being shattered to pieces, he also took away a pillar of the Lin Clan and seven or eight of the Lin Clan's future.
Releasing a deep-seated resentment.
The reckoning will continue in the next life!
At this moment.
In the chaos.
An ancient scroll quietly appeared.
——Hundred Generations Book.
The scroll flashed with a faint spirit light, displaying line after line of text.
[Hundred Generations Book: The Second Life]
[Host: Chen Sheng (Tang Yun)]
[Died at: Age 110]
[Spiritual Root: Lower Grade Fire Spirit Root]
[Talent: Lower Grade Spiritual Root]
[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation Perfection, Tier One Body Refining Late-stage]
[Identity: Founder of the Tang Clan of Thousand Machines]
[Cultivation Technique: Li Fire Technique]
[Skills: Tier One High Grade Alchemy Skill, Basic Array]
[Daoist Technique: Red Flood Dragon Burning River Seal (Third Layer, Refined Skill), Fire Snake Curse (Perfected), Melt Gold Finger (Perfected) ...]
[Achievement: Tier One Cultivator, Tier One Deputy, Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons]
Within the scroll.
Scenes continually presented themselves.
From being a spirit farmer in the market, studying alchemy in the Pill Workshop, marrying and having children, taking over the Pill Workshop... finally freezing in the blazing white light of the Treasure Pavilion.
Quietly turned a page.
A brand-new blank page emerged.
Following closely.
Several lines of text lit up.
[The Second Life Ends]
[This life has achieved two new accomplishments, can gain two new talents!]
The text disappeared at once.
Countless brilliant streams of light appeared before the eyes.
In the expectant gaze of Chen Sheng.
Ultimately.
Two brand-new azure-blue lights entered the scroll.
[Talent Acquired—Dragon Spirit and Tiger Fierce]
[Talent Acquired—Talented in Alchemy]
Meanwhile.
Two explanations of the talents also emerged in Chen Sheng's mind.
The latter goes without saying.
Directly enhances Chen Sheng's alchemy talent.
And the former.
Has many wonderful aspects.
It not only belongs to the talent on the body refining side, but also extends incense continuity, nurturing talents.
Chen Sheng quickly figured out:
"Not only helps in having more children but also in having better quality!"
"Truly living up to 'Fierce Tiger' and 'Dragon Essence', ensuring both quantity and quality."
...
White Dragon River.
The river water flowing turbulently, unceasingly.
By the riverbank in a water town.
A few simple thatched huts clung closely to the riverbank.
Beside the huts was tethered an old, narrow fishing boat.
Under the eaves of straw.
An old fisherman with graying hair and beard.
Old Bai was hunching over, deftly mending a fishing net with his fingers.
Standing by his side was a well-behaved and sensible grandson.
Bai Li, about six or seven years old, was helping Old Bai pull the net.
Suddenly, Bai Li's fingers pointed eagerly to the center of the river, exclaiming:
"Grandpa, look!"
"Is there someone in the middle of the river?!"
Old Bai abruptly lifted his eyes, looking toward where his grandson was pointing.
Amidst the turbid river flow, a small figure was helplessly bobbing in the waves, sometimes drowned, sometimes pushed back to the surface.
"Someone has fallen into the water!"
Old Bai saw clearly, dropped the fishing net and shuttle in his hands, and rushed to the shore, diving into the icy river.
Splosh!
Water splashed everywhere.
Old Bai's figure, like a green fish entering the water, quickly swam towards the middle of the river.
Finally.
He got close to that figure.
Grabbed hold!
It turned out to be a child dressed in a luxurious, brocade jacket.
This child's face was as pale as paper, lips bluish, eyes tightly closed, limbs limp.
Old Bai's heart sank.
Dragging the child, he swam back to the shore.
"Li'er, hurry!"
"Go back and start a fire! Prepare more hot water!"
As soon as Old Bai got close to the shallow water, he shouted hoarsely.
Bai Li heard this.
Immediately sprinted towards the thatched cottage.
By the riverbank.
Old Bai placed the child on the dry pebble ground.
He immediately laid the child flat, checked the breath.
"There's still a breath! The chest is still warm!"
Old Bai's eyes sparkled with disbelief.
He didn't hesitate.
Immediately patted the child's back vigorously.
Pressed the chest.
Trying to eject the swallowed dirty water.
"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."
Finally.
A few weak coughs accompanied by spitting dirty water.
The child's little chest began to rise and fall with a slightly more regular rhythm.
Old Bai breathed a long sigh of relief:
"Heavens bless..."
At this time.
Bai Li also brought over a fire basin.
Using the warmth of the charcoal fire to dispel the chill.
...
Who knows how long it was.
Chen Sheng groggily awoke.
A small black face filled his entire view.
This was a child dressed in coarse cloth, with a loosely tied hair bun.
Squatting next to him.
A pair of shiny black eyes stared at him unblinkingly, filled with curiosity.
Bai Li joyfully spoke:
"You're awake!"
It was noisy in the mind.
Chen Sheng quickly rubbed his temples.
Memories of his life gradually resurfaced.
Chen Yu, five years old, Da Jing official's child.
Father Chen Manlou was Jiangnan's salt supervisor.
He embezzled too much while in office, weighing down the ships with silver.
On the way back to the capital for reporting, he encountered water bandits.
Negotiations failed.
He was directly shot and killed by the thieves with arrows.
Chen Yu grew up in Jiangnan, was quite clever and skilled in water.
He jumped into the water from a corner of the ship to escape.
The water was turbulent, pushing him out of the encirclement, preventing him from falling into the hands of the bandits.
He was also physically exhausted due to the swift current.
Gradually he choked on water and lost consciousness.
Finally drifting in the river.
...
Bai Li cheerfully spoke:
"My grandfather saved you from the river."
"He said you were really lucky, your hands and feet were swollen from soaking, you must have floated for a long time."
"And yet your chest was still warm, breathing, the Dragon King didn't want you."
Chen Sheng lowered his head.
He felt the continuous heat in his chest, like a small furnace, stable and vigorous.
Constantly spreading to all his limbs and bones.
——This feeling... That's it!
[Dragon Spirit and Tiger Fierce]
Chen Sheng suddenly realized.
This new talent had saved his life.
Otherwise, he would have died long ago.
Also, the child's grandfather.
Indeed, he saved him too.
Although Chen Sheng had talent, after all, he was not truly a dragon.
If he floated for another two days.
Even if he didn't freeze to death from losing warmth, he would have starved.
Chen Sheng clasped his fists:
"Thank you for saving my life, I am Chen Sheng, one day I will repay this kindness."
Bai Li hurriedly waved his hand:
"No need, no need, my grandfather didn't save you for a reward."
"My surname is Bai, and I'm called Bai Li."
"By the way, you must be hungry, have some porridge."
Chen Sheng took the bowl of porridge, sipping it slowly:
"Thank you."
Before long.
Old Bai came in holding two still-jumping, fresh carp.
Chen Sheng introduced himself.
After some thanks, he talked about repaying the favor.
Old Bai nodded, instructed his grandson to go cook fish soup, then spoke softly:
"Young master, you come from an extraordinary background, I, an ordinary villager, dare not speak of gratitude."
"It's just..."
He glanced lovingly at his busy grandson and lowered his voice:
"Li'er lost his parents early, and my old bones don't know how long I can protect him. If you wish to repay the favor, do it for Li'er."
The words were simple.
Yet they conveyed Old Bai's deep affection for his grandson.
Chen Sheng earnestly nodded:
"I understand."
...
In the blink of an eye.
Two months had quickly passed.
Under the powerful effect of the [Dragon Spirit and Tiger Fierce] talent.
Chen Sheng recovered at an astonishing speed.
Not only did the weakness from falling into the water disappear.
He was also transformed completely.
At present.
Chen Sheng's stature had grown to look like an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, he independently headed to a quiet place by the river.
Attempting to swing his arms.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
His fists sliced through the air, faintly bringing the sound of wind.
Chen Sheng estimated in his heart.
This youthful body surprisingly already contained three to four hundred pounds of tremendous strength!
Moreover.
That heat continued to nourish his muscles, bones, and organs, his strength was increasing daily!
"Perhaps it can be increased to the power of nine oxen and two tigers."
Chen Sheng thought in his heart.
At this moment.
In the shallow water by the river.
Bai Li plunged into the water with a dive.
Splashes flew.
Beneath the river currents surged, his small figure darted between the rocks and water plants.
Fifty breaths… fifty-five breaths…
Bai Li suddenly broke out of the water, gasping, yet his eyes were surprisingly bright, excitedly shouting to Chen Sheng on the shore:
"Brother Sheng!"
"This breathing method you taught me is amazing!"
"I can now hold my breath longer than the cormorants catching fish in the river!"
Chen Sheng heard this, and gave a gentle smile.
This breathing method.
Was a form of inner strength he taught Bai Li.
"Xuanyuan Sea Overturning Technique"
It was most suitable for swimming practice, capable of enhancing water skills and qi strength, strengthening the foundation, it was already a top-level cultivation technique in worldly martial arts, directly leading to the Innate Realm.
Bai Li had good innate talent, if he could consistently train, he had a great chance of achieving the Martial Arts Innate Realm.
Chen Sheng gently smiled and advised:
"This method can only be known by you and me, never show it in front of others."
"Otherwise, there might be danger of death."
He deliberately slowed his speech for the last four words to let Bai Li feel the seriousness within.
The dangers of the martial world, and the truth of possessing anything valuable must be imparted to the youth early.
Bai Li nodded vehemently, patting his small chest to promise:
"Don't worry, Brother Sheng, I remember, even if it rots in my belly I won't tell!"
Another two months passed.
Chen Sheng's strength grew more evident, his stature grew again, inside him seemed to dwell a dormant young beast, with arms of a thousand pounds of strength.
Gradually gaining the ability to protect himself.
Chen Sheng began to entertain thoughts of leaving.
This period.
Chen Sheng observed Bai Li's talent and character.
Then taught him a set of ancient, grand, and balanced palm technique skills.
"Five Peaks Mountain-Suppressing Palm"
This palm technique was strong and steady, the meaning profound, and along with the water internal power of the "Xuanyuan Sea Overturning Technique" could form an effect of "Mountain and Marsh Qi".
Truly an infinite miracle.
...
The river wind gently arrived, the setting sun like blood.
Chen Sheng watched Bai Li earnestly practicing his palm technique under the sunset glow, gently patted his shoulder:
"Practice well, take care of your grandfather."
"If fate allows, we'll meet again in the martial world someday."